Funds from RTOERO to launch new volunteer brochure

A $3,250 in funds from District 36 Peterborough of RTOERO will support Volunteer Peterborough, which connects residents with meaningful volunteer opportunities. The money will go towards the design, printing and launch of welcoming volunteer brochures for new residents in the region.

The District 36 funding is part of RTOERO’s annual community grants program. Since 1968, RTOERO has been a voice for teachers, school and board administrators, educational support staff and college and university faculty in their retirement. 

Its mission is to improve the lives of our members and seniors. RTOERO members also share a desire to give back. Each year, districts apply for grants to support community projects. For 2024, RTOERO funded 31 projects for a total of $122,252.

Details about the volunteer brochure

The welcome brochure initiative will kick off with a launch event for realtors and other professionals who frequently engage with newcomers. The idea is to ensure the brochures effectively reach those who can benefit most from community involvement.

This volunteer brochure for new residents will:

• Encourage them to join social networks
• Build a stronger brand for Peterborough as a welcoming place
• Bolster seniors’ health and the health of non-profits who benefit from their expertise, time and talents.

“Many seniors have the time and inclination to volunteer, but don’t know where they can contribute, especially if they’re new to the community. Our grant will help Volunteer Peterborough raise awareness. Ultimately, this will strengthen community connections and well-being,” says Kathryn Reynolds, President, District 36 Peterborough, RTOERO.

RTOERO Chapter 36 members Kathryn Reynolds, Pat Smith, Annette Thompson and Hilda Jolley present a cheque to Volunteer Peterborough founder Lois Tuffin to create and distribute brochures to new residents so they can get involved in volunteering sooner. (Photo by Genevieve Ramage)

Lois Tuffin, Chair of Volunteer Peterborough’s board of directors, shared these statistics:

• 8,400 people moved to this region from 2020-2024.
• 25% of them are 65-plus.
• That means 2,117 new older adults with great experience and skills to share

Research shows that social isolation undermines seniors’ health, even more so than exercise, smoking, being overweight or in cardiac rehab.

A 2023 survey conducted by ULeadU Post Career Pathing showed that people approaching or in retirement worry more about having a sense of purpose post-career than about losing their work community or steady income.

“With this campaign, we strive to take the “i” out of isolation due to its link with loneliness, vulnerability and elder abuse,” Tuffin says.

“Age-friendly Peterborough is running a Connector program in 2024 to introduce older adults to volunteering via doctors, banks, pharmacies, etc. We will build on that momentum by getting the word out to realtors, movers, condo developers and other people who bring new residents to this region to fill a vital talent gap.”

Volunteer Peterborough also plans to identify neighbourhoods and developments with a high percentage of newcomers and work with the Newcomers Club and New Canadians Centre.

The greatest current barrier to volunteering is lack of awareness of which organizations match people’s talents and interests.

“We have started to bridge that gap by signing up more than 1,400 volunteers and 162 organizations,” Tuffin says. “However, in a region of 184,000 people, there is still much work to do, especially as more talented people chose to live here. This grant will certainly help us reach more people and weave them into the mosaic of Peterborough.”

Each year, a committee of RTOERO members assesses the merits of each grant submission. Projects touch on everything from environmental sustainability, to healthy and accessible communities. Since the inception of the community grants program 24 years ago, RTOERO has donated almost $2.1 million to more than 600 programs and projects.

“Our members are active in contributing to the well-being of the places where they live, all across Canada. By partnering with local organizations, with grants and practical support, RTOERO districts engage in grassroots community building,” says John Cappelletti, chair of the board at RTOERO.

District 36 has about 1,300 members, serving the City of Peterborough and the surrounding rural areas of Peterborough County. The district plays a key role in helping them stay engaged and connected, with each other and the community.

RTOERO is a bilingual trusted voice on healthy, active living in the retirement journey for the broader education community. With 85,000+ members in 51 districts across Canada, we are the largest national provider of non-profit group health benefits for education retirees. We welcome members who work in or are retired from the early years, schools and school boards, post-secondary and any other capacity in education. We believe in a better future, together!